In addition to referring patients, consider connecting and building a working relationship with a particular community organization. You may be able to help each other in many ways – raising awareness of each other, participating in community health events, or finding mutual support in dealing with bureaucracies are just a few. Here are a couple of strategies:
- Network with organizations: Invite community leaders to meetings with health care providers to informally discuss existing programs and community health needs that are underserved or not addressed at all. Provide opportunities for all to share what they do and how they might be able to help one another. Ask what they consider the most significant unmet health needs. They’ll appreciate being asked and you, and other providers, will likely find their answers illuminating.
- Let synergy work for you: When partnerships begin, a natural next step can be to collaborate on activities like education, screening, or activity (exercise) promotion. When health care systems and community organizations collaborate they can enhance access to services and reinforce important messages.
The National Council on the Aging has published an informative booklet on the subject of making community partnerships work at their site. See Partnering Physicians with Community Organizations at their site.
Tip:
Your patients and their family members are often the best entrée into community organizations. If they are a member of a church, a parent at a school, an employee or a customer of a local business, they might be happy to help you encourage these agencies to work with you to promote healthy living.
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